Grommets are used extensively in a variety of applications and assemblies, including many different assemblies and subassemblies in motor vehicles. In motor vehicles, grommets are used frequently in stabilizer links, control arms, shock mounts and various other suspension applications and mounting assemblies. Often a grommet is installed onto a threaded component of the vehicle together with a washer and/or fastener such as a nut. Properly placing two or three components can be difficult and time-consuming, particularly if placement is at a difficult angle or orientation. Efficient assembly line installation, such as used for automobiles and other high volume products, is dependent upon rapid, error free performance of each assembly step. Therefore, there has been a desire to make the installation of grommets easier and more efficient, which has resulted in attempts to pre-assemble or in some way unitize the grommet with other associated components of the assemblies.
A variety of different grommet designs are known that can retain a washer and/or a nut or other fastener that will be used in cooperation with the grommet. For example, it is known to use shrink-wrap to capture a grommet and mating part together, to facilitate subsequent installation of both parts. As another example, it is known to use adhesives to secure a grommet to an associated member. Yet another known example involves insert molding the grommet to the cooperating structure. Although each of these prior designs has proven satisfactory in some applications, there is a continuing need for improved grommet designs that are inexpensive to manufacture, that are easy to assembly and install and that are adapted and configured to be durable and dependable in use.